THE premier regional events in the swimming calendar are the Midland Championships which take place each year in the 50-metre pool at Coventry Sports Centre.

Evesham High School pupil Joe Evans was one of a strong squad of eight Stratford Sharks members to qualify for the Youth Championships.

With tough qualification times and ages being set at the end of the age group competition, the 14-year-old had to compete in the 15/16-year age group.

On the first morning, a superb personal best in the 400m free-style brought seventh place out of 27 entries in the heats and qualification for the afternoon's final.

A further pb and new club record was gained in the 100m freestyle for a respectable 15th of 62 entries.

In the afternoon finals session, a controlled swim, which saw him up with the leaders throughout, saw a further two-second impr-ovement on his 400m freestyle heat time bringing a well dese-rved bronze medal.

On the second day Evans once again got off to an excellent start with another best time in the 200m freestyle for eighth place out of 50 to again secure his place later in the day.

Once again in the 200m freestyle final, an excellent swim saw a further two-second pb, new club record and Long Course National Qualifying time after a competitive race against older opposition.

However, he couldn't quite repeat his efforts of the previous day and finished in a respectable fifth place.

The Stratford club won three gold medals, two silver and three bronze and now look forward to this summer's National Championships.

9:55am Friday 16th May 2008

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